Monthly Archives: December 2008

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Or is it “ballot e-stuffing”? The phrase hasn’t quite been coined yet. I’m going with “e-stuffing.”

Anyway, someone was apparently stuffing the NHL All-Star ballot with votes from one cell phone number, and thousands of votes were recently deducted from the totals of Chris Pronger, Ryan Getzlaf, J-S Giguere and Scott Niedermayer. Check out Adam Brady’s post on the team’s Web site from Dec. 23.

The NHL projects a 2 percent increase in league revenue for the 2008-09 season despite facing one of the worst economic crises to hit North America since the league contracted from 10 to six franchises around the time of the Great Depression

League officials shared the projection with owners and team executives at a board of governors meeting in Florida Dec. 8-9. According to attendees, league revenue will increase 6 percent in aggregate, but because of the decline in the Canadian dollar the league will realize only a 2 percent increase in total revenue.

The projected 6 percent increase is down slightly from the 7 percent increase league officials told the board to expect before the start of the season. After accounting for the Canadian dollar’s decline, league revenue is projected to rise to $2.65 billion during the 2008-09 season from $2.6 billion in 2007-08.

David LeNeveu was returned to Iowa on Sunday, meaning neither rain, sleet, hail, snow or gloom of night will keep Jean-Sebastien Giguere from returning to the Ducks in time for Monday’s game in Vancouver. LeNeveu served as the backup to Jonas Hiller Friday in Edmonton while Giguere attended his father’s funeral in Montreal.

Teemu Selanne underwent an MRI this evening that revealed a cut in his left quadriceps muscle, an injury sustained Friday night at Edmonton. It did not damage any tendons or other connective tissue, and no surgery will be required. He is expected to return to the Ducks’ lineup in 4-6 weeks.

The Ducks brought up center Andrew Ebbett from Iowa today after Teemu Selanne left with a lacerated thigh in the first period of Friday’s 3-2 shootout win at Edmonton. The Ducks had a roster spot to burn since they traded Brian Sutherby, so it’s no indication of whether or not Selanne will be placed on IR. He’s flying to Anaheim to get his MRI at 4:15 p.m. today.Continue reading “Ducks recall Ebbett; no word on Selanne” »

Color commentator Brian Hayward just announced during the telecast of the Ducks-Oilers game that Teemu Selanne will need an MRI on his right leg after he lacerated the area just above his knee (with his own skate, no less) during the first period. Not only is Selanne out for the game, the injury is apparently so serious that he’s leaving the team midway through the first game of a five-game trip to get an MRI in Anaheim.

More details as they are made available; the Ducks are leading 2-0 without Teemu.

Goaltender Jean-Sebastien Giguere’s father died yesterday in Montreal. Claude Giguere was 63.

Update: Jonas Hiller got the start against the New York Rangers on Tuesday night (it’s 1-1 at the second intermission; Hiller has 19 saves) with Jiggy backing up. Giguere is expected to miss one game later this week (at Edmonton) to attend the service. In that case, the Ducks would recall a goaltender to back up Jonas Hiller. David LeNeveu was recalled from Iowa two weeks ago when Giguere left the team briefly to visit his ailing father.

ESPN.com is reporting that Mats Sundin has narrowed his choices to the Vancouver Canucks and New York Rangers, leaving the Ducks out of the derby for the Swedish winger.

This should come as little surprise; Sundin wasn’t expected to play for less than $1.1 million in Anaheim when he could have 10 times as much with the first-place Canucks. If anything, Ducks fans should wonder who in the Rangers’ front office has blackmail material on Sundin’s agent.